Worship is at the center of who we are as Christians and Episcopalians. Perhaps more than anything else the Episcopal Church is known for its dignified liturgies which are also flexible enough to be adapted to changing circumstances.

Often when I officiate at a wedding or funeral I receive numerous comments about how beautiful the service was. I always feel embarrassed to receive such compliments because I know that I am not responsible. Our Prayer Book services are so wonderful that if they are conducted with just a modicum of competence their beauty shines through.

At Worship and Liturgy Committee meetings we are always discussing ways to improve and enhance our worship. One of the major topics of discussion at our last meeting concerned the very lengthy list of names that we pray for at each Sunday Eucharist as part of the Prayers of the People. We are concerned that the list has become so long that it has become tedious and many of us admit to zoning out while all the names are read. We suspect, also, that there may be some names of people on our prayer list who are no longer in special need of our prayers and ought to be removed.

Four times a year, beginning this month, we will publish the prayer list in the Tower Chimesfor your review. If you would like a person’s name to remain on the prayer list - a name can stay on for as long as you wish - simply call the parish office (718-727-6100) or send an email indicating that you would like the name to remain on the prayer list. If a name is not renewed, we will assume that person is no longer in need of the community’s prayers and will be removed from the list. Speaking of the Prayers of the People, we also will be more intentional about leaving a space at the end of the prayers so that people in the congregation can add their own petitions either silently or aloud.

We also discussed ways that we can experience more of the richness of our tradition. Beginning in Advent we will use a different Great Thanksgiving at the 10:00 Eucharist and will also try to introduce a greater variety of music for congregational singing. During Advent the children will participate in lighting the Advent wreath in place of our usual children’s homily, “What’s in the Box?” In Advent we will have two special services at 10:00. a.m. On Sunday, December 16 the Sunday school will present their Christmas pageant in place of the sermon, and on Sunday, December 23 the choir will lead us in a service of Lessons and Carols. Please make a note of these special Advent services.

I hope that our worship will reflect who we are: Beautiful and dignified but also warm and friendly and inclusive of all people and ages who have come together to give glory to God.

Among the actions taken and the reports heard by the Vestry of Christ Church New Brighton at its monthly meeting on 8 October were the following:

Thanked Gytha Darconte for the success of the fund raiser for the Scholarship Fund. The tea raised $4,265 for the fund, thanks to the work of the numerous volunteers and the fine music by Vincent and Candice Craig.

Our Treasurer, Dorothy Thompson, announced that the final check from the Woodall bequest had been received. The total received came to $641,000.

The Diocesan assessment will be $16,397 this year.

The funding for the tower repairs was approved. Essentially we’re borrowing $169,000 from the Diocese at 6% with the belief that the cost will be considerably less. As long as the final figure is under $150,000, we shall not have to collateralize the loan.

The Nominating Committee is looking for individuals willing to serve on the Vestry.

A new website and brochure are being created for the church to better describe the services, organization, and leadership of the church.

A plaque is to be erected on the wall opposite the large door exiting the church into the parish hall with the names of those who contributed to the Music Fund.

Confirmation classes will begin soon and the bishop is due on 25 November.

Can Christians get along? The Staten Island Council of Churches could well answer this age-old question with a resounding "Yes!" In attending their Fall Assembly Dinner, I was amazed to be remembered by the lady I sat next to; and not only remembered, but also recognized as a representative of Christ Church New Brighton. The warmth and cordiality of everyone at the table were very striking. Many religious organizations, including our own worldwide Anglican Communion, could profit from this example. I am grateful to our own Ed Craig for his involvement and his membership in their Board of Directors.

The Council, which consists of about 40 congregations, may be somewhat unusual among ecumenical organizations in featuring the prominent participation of Roman Catholics. Awards were given at this meeting to Monsignor James J. Dorney, Pastor of St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, and to the Society of St. Paul, also known as Alba House Publishers. Monsignor Dorney recently celebrated his 75th birthday and will next year celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.

The Society of St. Paul, in its headquarters at 2187 Victory Blvd., has for some years provided the Staten Island Council of Churches with an office, at a very nominal rent.

This Fall Assembly Dinner was not the annual Awards Dinner, which will take place next year, on February 6, 2008. The Awards Dinner has become a very popular way for member congregations to recognize and celebrate their valued parishioners’ contributions. People have had to be turned away from the Old Bermuda Inn, the large catering hall where the Awards Dinner takes place, so make your reservations early.

Please mark your calendar and plan to join your fellow Christ Church parishioners as we gather together for the service of Holy Eucharist at 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning. We will take this opportunity to sing some familiar Thanksgiving hymns and give thanks for the many blessings that God has bestowed upon our church, and upon each of us.

On Tuesday, October 16 the Women of Christ Church met at their new time, 7:30 pm., to discuss our current activities and to make plans for upcoming events. It was encouraging to see so many of you, and we are hoping that our numbers will continue to increase each month.

For the past few months several of our members have been spending time with residents at the Staten Island Care Center on Lafayette Avenue. Anne Devlin has been coordinating these weekly visits. Her report, which was presented by Fr. Chuck in her absence, spoke of the importance of these visits. The residents look forward to the social interaction with folks from “the outside world.” Sometimes it’s just a matter of reading a book to those whose sight has failed, or even baking with them in the employee kitchen.

It was suggested that perhaps we can help the residents decorate their Christmas tree this year; and possibly have our Sunday School give an additional performance of their Christmas Pageant for the residents.

Valerie Quinlan reported on the current status of the Carpenters Kids project which is sponsored through the Diocese. In order for Christ Church to participate we need to have at least 50 sponsors - right now we only have 20 sponsors. Valerie is exploring the possibility of joining forces with one of the other Episcopal churches here on Staten Island, and will report back to us next month.

We also voted to provide food cards for Thanksgiving and Christmas to those less fortunate. These cards will be distributed by Fr. Chuck at his discretion.

One very important decision that was made concerns the Healing Service and Eucharist which used to precede our meeting when we met in the daytime. Beginning with our next meeting, Tuesday, November 20, Fr. Chuck will celebrate the service of Holy Eucharist and Healing in the chapel, prior to the start of the meeting. We look forward to seeing you then.

Our congregation is growing in size, and some of our newer members may not be aware that Christ Church has a Memorial Fund.

Memorial donations can be made by members of the parish and those outside of the parish. and an acknowledgement will be made to the donor and the relatives of the deceased. Envelopes with donations may also be put in the collection plate, or sent to Christ Church, 76 Franklin Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10301 in care of Judith Davis.

On Tuesday, November 27 at 7:30 p.m. the 14th Annual St. Nicholas Celebration will take place in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan. This annual event, which is sponsored by AIDS Action International, is an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS.

No tickets are required to participate in the celebration; all you need to do is bring an unwrapped holiday gift for people of any age. In fact, if you want to bring two or three gifts, that’s even better! Gifts are needed for over 2000 children, women and men. The gifts will be distributed at facilities in the Bronx, Queens and Manhattan.

The Celebration will feature performances by the Lavender Light Gospel Choir, Cathedral Organist, Tim Brumfield, and many others. Last year’s event was a rousing success, and it is hoped that this year will be even better.

You can find out more about this wonderful celebration by speaking with Nick Dowen, the event coordinator.

The Adult Education theme this fall centers not only on church-related issues, but also on the ways in which Christ Church connects with the community. We meet at 9 a.m. on Sunday mornings to learn more about the many ways that we serve our neighbors.

There are a variety of interesting topics to choose from. Please take a minute to check out the schedule for the remainder of the series.

The Nominating Committee is compiling a list of candidates to fill the positions of four outgoing Vestry members and one churchwarden. A form has been designed and approved a form to be used for your suggestions for these important parish leaders, who will be elected at the Annual Parish Meeting on the second Sunday of January 2008. The form is available on the table inside the front door of the church. Completed forms may be left in Nick Dowen’s mail box in the parish office.

Lunch Menu is baked chicken, macaroni and cheese and green salad, along with complimentary coffee and pastry: $10

Soup and bread along with complimentary coffee and pastry: $5

Last year’s event was a big success, and we’re hoping to make this year’s Fair even better. We’re asking for the support of all of our parishioners to help with decorating and setting up. Won’t you please consider being one of “Santa’s Helpers” and share some of your time? A sign-up sheet can be found on the bulletin board in the Parish House.

On Saturday,
December 8 the holiday season officially gets underway with the celebration of the annual celebration of the Christ Church Holly Ball.

This year we are honoring three of our hard-working ladies in the parish: Marlene Elia, Susan Fowler, and Valerie Quinlan, and the contributions that each has made to the life and well-being of Christ Church over the years. This will be an evening for parishioners and friends to “officially” acknowledge their respective accomplishments.

The evening will begin at 6:00 p.m. with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the Vestry and Guild Rooms. Then it’s on to the auditorium for an evening of dining and dancing, with music provided by the very popular band, Good Clean Fun.

Invitations will be mailed out this month and we hope that you’ll be able to attend – and that you’ll give some thought to taking an entire table and asking your friends to join us as well.

We will also be publishing our Holly Ball Memorial Journal, a place where local merchants and friends have an opportunity to place an ad with their congratulatory message to the honorees.

We hope you all be there to share in this wonderful evening of fun and fellowship.

All committee chairs, groups and/or organizations planning to do fundraising in 2008 are asked to submit their proposal(s) to the Fundraising Committee no later than Wednesday, November 7, for recommendation to the Vestry on November 12. Proposals should include date of event, type of event, purpose of event, support needed and target income.

As we mentioned in last month’s Tower Chimes, on Sunday, November 11 we will join with the young people of other churches and synagogues in the neighborhood for a one day interfaith journey to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. This will be a day of prayer, understanding and reflection for our youth.

The trip is sponsored by Building Bridges, an interfaith organization on Staten Island. Buses will leave at 8:30 a.m. from Congregation B’nai Jeshurum on Martling Avenue, and will return at 11 p.m. that evening. A light breakfast will be provided, participants should bring their lunch and be prepared to pay for dinner on the trip home.

There is a sign-up sheet in the front hallway of the parish hall and the cost for youth will be covered by the church. The cost for all others is $35 per person.

The youth of Christ Church are collecting food items for Thanksgiving baskets. Most of the baskets will be distributed to parishioners, and two will be donated to the Christian Club of Curtis High School.

What’s Been Happening to Our Buildings?
We received two grants, hired Burda Construction to repair our tower, and created new jobs for everyone on the Plant & Equipment committee.

Repairs to the Tower
We informed Burda Construction, who repaired and repainted the exterior of the rectory, that we’ve chosen them to fix the tower.

We’re working on the Building Dept. permits, and Susan Fowler wrote a letter to the NYC Landmarks Commission to clear the way for those permits. Since we’re calendared—on the commission’s calendar as a location of historic interest—we need to get the commission’s permission to make changes to the outside of the building. However, Susan talked to them last April and received a verbal okay for the work; we just need to follow up with the letter now.

Grants & Loan Application Approved
The Episcopal Diocese Property Support committee approved a grant of $25,000 and a loan of $169,000 for repairs to the damaged tower roof.

We can draw down the loan as needed and avoid having to pay interest on the full amount until we actually need the entire amount of the loan. There are no prepayment penalties.

We also received a total of $5,500 from the Landmarks Conservancy for the tower engineering drawings and for the parking-lot drainage plans.

Another Stained Glass Window Repair
Sheila Swigert has been working with Gil Studios, Art Femenella, and Ron Mazzucco on the contract for fixing the window “Christ Stilling the Storm.” The contract is waiting for Art Femenella’s approval. Once started, the work is expected to be finished by February 2008.

Backstairs Railing Now More Stable
Victor Stanwick has repaired the railing on the back steps of the Parish Hall so that it is no longer loose as people walk down the stairs. The clamp will be replaced as soon as he finds the right fastener for the job.

New Equipment Coming
A new tractor/snow plow has been ordered and will be delivered, with training, before the last mowing and the first snowfall from Trimalawn. Vito DeRenzis is following up on the delivery date.

New Roles for P&E Committee Members
So that no one person is burdened with too much work, we redistributed jobs among the people who were foolish enough to show up at the last meeting. If you notice something that needs to be fixed or want to help with a Plant & Equipment project, please talk to the designated person. You can also always bring your concerns to the rector, the wardens, or any vestry member.

Victor Stanwick: Animal control in general; outdoors projects; carpentry and metal repairs. Requests for all such repairs should be directed to him.

Lisa Rhoades: Interface with architects, engineers, and other professionals.

Peter Raff: All Hands to Work, Hearts to God monthly projects. Supervise ongoing contracting work such as the tower repair and electrical upgrade.

Next year, Sister Ellen Francis, OSH, will be leading a peace delegation to Iran from February 25 – March 10, 2008. Sister Ellen lived in Iran for seven years in the 1960’s, and has been a co-leader and staff person on three recent delegations to Iran.

The purpose of this delegation, which is sponsored by the Fellowship of Reconciliation, is to seek alternatives to the current political situation between the United States and Iranian governments, and to affirm friendship and solidarity between the people of the United States and the people of Iran. This will be the seventh Iran Peace Delegation to be sponsored by this organization.

Participants will visit Tehran (the contemporary capital), Qom (the world center of Shi’ite theology), Isfahan (the legendary capital of medieval Persia), and Shiraz (the jewel of classical Islamic culture, as well as the seat of Iran’s ancient pre-Islamic civilization.) The delegations will begin and end in the New York City area.

The deadline for applications will be early December 2007. For more information, please contact Sister Ellen Francis at 845-562-0592 or email. Information regarding previous trips, in addition to an application form, may be found on the FOR website: www.forusa.org.

The sight of Thanksgiving baskets and Christmas decorations are a sure sign that the holiday season has arrived at Christ Church.

Just a quick note about two events that took place last month at Christ Church: The Christ Church Scholarship Concert and Tea, and the Chinese Auction. Congratulations and thanks to the committees that sponsored these very successful events.

Last month, a team of volunteers participated in the Saturday “Hands to Work, Hearts to God” program to spruce up the Sunday School rooms. This included painting, cleaning and “hauling” numerous unwanted items from the basement. Special mention to this hard-working group: Fr. Chuck, Peter Raff, John Watson, Sheila Hewitt, Susan Fowler and Victor Stanwick. Volunteers are always needed for these monthly projects; if you’d like to participate please speak to Peter Raff for further details.

Congratulations to Tara and Robert Smock on the birth of their first child, Luke Robert. Tara is the daughter of Luke’s proud grandparents, Ron and Ellen Mazzucco.

As many of you know, Track and Field events are a passion for Willie Black, Jr. and his family. Willie just became the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award for 2007 from the National Track and Field Officials Association. In addition, he has been elected vice president of the New York City PSAL Cross-Country Track and Field Officials Association, AND Chairman of the USATF Metropolitan Association Officials Committee. His son, Willie III (“Buster”) was also elected to one of the six Vice Chairperson positions of the same committee.

Speaking of sports…all eyes will be on our own Beth Johanning as she participates in her second NYC Marathon on Sunday, November 4.

Glad to hear that Joan Rock is recovering nicely from recent surgery, and that our warden, Lisa Rhoades, is on the mend after taking a fall last month.

Keeping in touch Angela Longford, former Christ Church parishioner, contacted Colin Reed recently. Although she’s not physically able to attend Sunday services on a regular basis, she still “keeps in touch with us” when she visits the New Directions Food Pantry on Post Avenue, which is supported by our church through weekly food collections and monetary donations. And, greetings from Carol Shea, a former parishioner who moved to Port Richmond several years ago. Carol continues to keep in touch, and volunteers at the May Ham Dinner and other parish fund-raising events.

Did you happen to see Susan Fowler’s wonderful article about Christ Church in the most recent issue of The Episcopal New Yorker? The paper is also “online” at the Diocesan website (www.dioceseny.org) By the way, we just learned that Susan and Victor have been invited to give a talk on “e-government” in Moscow on November 8, which has been designated as “World Usability Day 2007.” They will also be doing a one-day seminar on November 10, based on their book, “Web Application Design Handbook.”

Condolences to Marlene Elia on the passing of her nephew, Fred Zito, last month.

Thanks to Nick Dowen and Barnett Shepherd for keeping our church grounds in pristine condition; they are here almost every Saturday, pulling weeds, raking leaves and clearing shrubbery.

As we told you last month, Andrew Schneider is currently serving in Iraq, and will most likely be stationed there for the next fifteen months. If you’d like to send him a card or a letter, to say “hello” or to just show him your support, his address is: 1 Lt. Andrew Schneider, B CO, 1/32, 1BCT, 1AD, FOB Summerall, APO AE 09393.

The theme of this year’s stewardship campaign is Many Blessings. Stewardship gives us an opportunity to thank God for the many blessings in our lives as individuals and as a parish community. We will wrap up this year’s stewardship campaign on All Saints’ Sunday, November 4th. If you have already turned in your pledge card, thank you very much; if you have not yet turned in your pledge card, please do so as soon as possible.